


Singapore

by LakeHermione



Category: Orphan Black (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-12
Updated: 2019-06-12
Packaged: 2020-05-01 17:02:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19182064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LakeHermione/pseuds/LakeHermione
Summary: In which Alison, Helena and Sarah are 8 hours into a long haul flight to Singapore and Alison can’t sleep.





	Singapore

Eight hours into the seventeen hour flight, Alison hadn’t slept a wink.  Honestly, it wouldn’t have bothered her all that much except she knew they landed  at 6 a.m. local time and that Cosima and Delphine had a full day of sightseeing planned for them and goshdarnit--now her body’s clock would be all fudged up.  Also, she really had to go to tinkle but she was trapped in the middle seat between Helena, who had the window and Sarah, who had the aisle--both of whom were sound asleep practically snoring in unison—as if to taunt her.

 

After almost three years, Cosima and Delphine had administered the cure to all of the Leda sisters—at least all the ones they could find.  Of course, there were a few who refused and sadly a few who died before they could help them, but otherwise they had done what they could and now they were done.  So, to celebrate, Sarah, Helena and Alison were traveling to Singapore to meet up with Cosima and Delphine. After a couple of days, Delphine planned to fly to France for a much needed visit back home and the sestras would embark on an adventure together through Asia with stops planned in Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand (and Taiwan although they hadn’t told Sarah and Helena about the last bit just yet.)

 

If she were being perfectly honest, Alison would have preferred a slightly less “exotic” trip.  Once they left Singapore, she could only imagine the sorts of places Cosima would have booked for them. She’d never traveled outside of North America unless you count her youth group service trip to a Haitian orphanage in high school where she’d contracted traveler’s diarrhea on the third day and spent two weeks in the infirmary sweating and well, you know…. Anyway, suffice it say, if you had asked her to make a bucket list…it most certainly wouldn’t include this many places where you can’t drink the water.  

 

And then there was the flight itself. Ever since she had looked up the flight route, she’d been uneasy at the thought of flying across the ocean. And now, she couldn’t stop thinking about the fathomless depths below stretching out thousands of miles in every direction. It also didn’t help that it had been pitch dark the entire time. Their flight had left  at midnight , west coast time, and they’d been running from daylight ever since as they flew east.   

 

Alison had always had trouble sleeping on planes, trains or automobiles.  She was a light sleeper under the best of circumstances and she just couldn’t fully relax with all these people around. She’d tried to formulate a plan to overcome all that. She’d brought her noise-cancelling headphones, a lavender scented eye mask, had taken melatonin and drank nothing more than chamomile tea since take-off and yet here she was, eight hours later, wide awake.  Clearly this wasn’t a genetic trait.   Sarah had been asleep since shortly after take-off and all she’d done was chase the beers she’d downed in the airport lounge during their layover with a bourbon, stretched out her legs, closed her eyes and instantly fallen asleep notwithstanding the constant drone of music leaking from her air pods. Helena too had easily drifted off with her hand resting gently in a bag of popcorn while watching  the Hunt for Red October (which for some strange reason made been making her laugh).

 

When her bladder could take it no more, Alison finally had to tap Sarah’s arm to wake her up to use the lavatory.

 

“I’m so sorry to bother you, Sarah, but I really have to tinkle.”

 

“Wha?” mumbled Sarah with one eye open.

 

“I said I’m so sorry to wake you, but can you let me by? I have to tinkle.”

 

“Oh. Right. Sure.” yawned Sarah as she got up to let Alison out.

 

When Alison returned a few minutes later, Sarah had moved to the middle seat and had procured a fresh drink.

 

“How did you get that so fast?” asked Alison as she settled into the aisle seat.

 

Sarah shrugged and grinned.

 

Alison sighed and buckled her seat belt.

 

“Wus the matter? You look tense.”

 

“Nothing, really.  It’s just I can’t sleep. I almost never can on planes, but I thought on a 17 hour flight it would be different.” said Alison curtly.

 

“Sorry” said Sarah with a sympathetic shrug.

 

“It’s not your fault.”

 

“I wasn’t snoring or anything?”

 

“Just a little” smiled Alison.

 

“Sorry. Hey, what’s all this about?” asked Sarah pointing to the pile of sandwiches and snack mix packets on the tray in front of her.

 

“Well, you two slept through two meal services and I figured Helena, at least, would want them.”

 

“Too right, she will. Wait, how long was I out?”

 

“About eight hours.”

 

“Wow. And we’re not even halfway there” chuckled Sarah.

 

Alison shuddered and hummed in agreement.

 

They sat in silence for a few moments before Alison asked, “You know I don’t think I asked you, but have you ever been to Asia before.”

 

“Can’t say that I have” chuckled Sarah, “You?”

 

“Of course not.”

 

“Wonder if Helena’s been?” mused Sarah.

 

“She said something about Istanbul, but she didn’t seem to want to discuss it so I let it go” said Alison.

 

Sarah nodded and sipped her drink.  After a few moments she asked, “Think people will notice?”

 

“You mean us?”

 

“Yeah, the four of us all together.  People are used to twins, triplets even but…you know.”

 

“I was thinking about that too.  I mean no one has been staring at us so far.  But then again, the three of us are all so different.”

 

“Maybe” drawled Sarah as she crunched on an ice cube, “But I think I might notice.  I think you would too.  I know Helena would. She notices everything.”

 

“Yes, that does seem to be something we all have in common.”

 

“You mean noticing things?”

 

“Yes.  I think we’re all quite perceptive.”

 

“Yeah, right” snorted Sarah, “If I’m so perceptive, how come I sucked at school.”

 

“Because it doesn’t matter how smart you are if…if…well…It’s like Maslow’s hierarchy” said Alison with a wave of her hand.

 

Sarah gave her a blank questioning stare.

 

“It just means…How could you focus on school when you didn’t have…”

 

“A home?”

 

“I was gonna say bigger things to worry about, but yes.”

 

“You’ve thought about this, have you?”

 

“Yes.  Cosima and I have discussed it.” Alison nervously scratched her head, “It makes me so…stinking angry.”

 

“Well, thanks, I guess. Hey did you like school?”

 

“I loved it.”

 

“’Course you did” smirked Sarah, “Same with Cos. Coupla eager beavers. What else do you and Cos think we have in common?”

 

“Well…” exhaled Alison, “Let’s see.  Cosima thinks…how did she put it? That we’re all quick on the uptake regardless of our educational background. I think we’re all a bit rash at times. And stubborn. Oh and Donny thinks we’re all rather…tightly wound.”

 

“Can’t argue with most of that. Still though, it’s hard to see you in me and vice versa, innit?”

 

“Yes, and no.  I mean we both like to occasionally blow up our lives so...”

 

“True” laughed Sarah.

 

“There is something I’ve been meaning to ask you, Sarah.”

 

“Alright.”

 

“Do I remind you of Rachel.”

 

“No. Why would you me ask that?”

 

“It’s just a thought I’ve had…since I met her that night. It’s like if all of us were on a color wheel, she’d be sort of next to me, wouldn’t she? I don’t really see much of myself in you, or Helena or Cosima or even Beth. 

Maybe a little in Charlotte, but if I’m being honest, I did in Rachel. Does that make sense?”

 

“No” said Sarah dismissively.

 

“Come on, Sarah.”

 

“Well, what does Cos think?”

 

“She says we have a similar ‘energy.’”

 

“I guess I could see that, but seriously Alison, that’s where it ends.  She’s only lookin’ out for herself, and you, you spend 90% of each day doin’ things for other people, worryin’ about other people and, and…well, she tried to kill me.”

 

“Well, I once pointed a gun at you and Felix” replied Alison.

 

“Oh come on, you weren’t gonna shoot, were ya? She actually shot at me and stabbed me.”

 

“And you shot pencil in her eye” interjected Helena.

 

“Helena, we’ve discussed this” scolded Alison, “You can’t just pretend to be asleep and listen to everything. It’s very rude.”

 

“Sorry, sestra Alison” smiled Helena as she jammed a handful of popcorn in her mouth.

 

“Nonetheless, Helena has a point, Sarah” said Alison.

 

“Yes. And, also, you shoot me and I forgive you” added Helena.

 

“Yeah well, that was only after you shot at me first, kidnapped Kira and…other stuff.”

 

“When I shoot at you I did not know it was you.”

 

“Yeah, like that matters.  Anyway, why are we talking about this?”

 

“Because….” Alison paused dramatically, “Cosima and I have added a stop to the itinerary.” 

 

“Where?” snapped Sarah.

 

“Taiwan. As long as we’re over here, I want to find Rachel.  It’s not right that she’s all alone. Cosima agrees with me.  We’ve got to try.”

 

“No, we really don’t.”

 

“Please, Sarah.  She gave us the list.  It has to mean something” said Alison mildly.

 

“Fine. You two can do what you want, but while you and Cos are doin’ that, Helena and I’ll be back at the hotel laying by the pool drinkin’ Mai Tais or some shit.”

 

“I will go with you” said Helena quietly.

 

“What?” said Sarah.

 

“I will go. If you forgive me, I can forgive her” said Helena.

 

“Helena, she kidnapped Kira and would’ve put you and your boys in a cage if she’d had the chance!”

 

“No.  She was kind to Kira.  This I know and you know it too.”

 

After a solid 30 seconds of shaking her head in disbelief, Sarah snapped, “Alright, fine.”

 

“Really?” asked Alison.

 

“Sure, whatever. Let’s add ‘brunch with bloody Rachel’ to the itinerary. She’s not gonna see us anyway.  You’ll see.”

 

“Maybe not, but I for one will sleep better knowing we tried” said Alison as she stifled a yawn.

 

“Me too” crunched Helena.

 

“S’cuse me,” Sarah barked at a passing steward, “Can I get another one of these? Actually, make it a double.”

 

“It’s alright sestra” said Helena as she patted Sarah’s arm, “We do this together.  Now, can I have sandwich?”

 

“Sure, take ‘em” said Sarah dumping several plastic wrapped sandwiches on Helena’s tray.  After Sarah had paid for her drink, she sighed.

 

“It t’will be alright, Sarah. Want to watch movie with me?”

 

“Sure, but I’m pickin’” growled Sarah.

 

“Yes of course.”

 

Sarah spent the next 10 minutes scrolling through the movies on offer while Helena ate her sandwich and looked out the window.  The eastern sky had gone pale pink on the horizon.

 

“Eh meathead, ever seen Silence of the Lambs?” asked Sarah.

 

“No, but I like lamb. What is this about?”

 

“Don’ worry about it.  You’ll like it” smirked Sarah as she took a slug of her drink. Then she added, “That too scary for ya, Alison?”

 

But Alison didn’t answer. Sarah turned to look at her and smiled. She was finally asleep.  

**Author's Note:**

> Just wanted to try my hand at writing Alison. 😊


End file.
